Harry Redknapp likes to see Little Britton

It all changed then. Don’t get me wrong. They got the best out of what they had

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp

Potential England boss Harry Redknapp is a big fan of the little midfielder.

And Spurs manager Redknapp knows his side will have to pull out all the stops if they are to prevent Britton pulling the strings in today’s game at White Hart Lane.

Redknapp signed 5ft 5ins Britton for West Ham from Arsenal in 1998 for £400,000 – then a record for a 16-year-old.

And he marvels at how despite his stature the player has blossomed just like fellow little midfielder Joe Cole.

Harry says English football muscled out small players when Wimbledon were successful in the 1980s. He said: “It all changed then. Don’t get me wrong. They got the best out of what they had.

“They were amazing but then a lot more teams went that way because they didn’t have the players.

“But Brendan Rodgers has done it in a different way with Swansea and if you are going to be successful at the very top level you have to be able to keep the ball and play.

“We had a young goalkeeper who went out on loan to Barnsley and their boss said they wanted a keeper who could use his feet and play the ball out – like the Swansea keeper does.

“Joe Cole said recently that at Lille the goalkeeper there could play in midfield in England. That is what we are going for here. Once, small players like Leon Britton were being lost to the game. I signed him as a kid. Look at Barcelona now and the way they play and realise you don’t have to be 6ft tall.

“The Messis and the Iniestas are little guys with great technical ability. It’s changing here now and that’s good.”

And Redknapp thinks things look good for the future of the English game – whoever is boss.

“I like to think we are the start of a revolution here,” he said. “More teams are starting to look at the way Swansea have played their football this season.

“They are also seeing the top sides in the world doing the same and more clubs are starting to play that way.

“Very few teams now are going for that direct way. They’re passing the ball and it’s going to help the international team much more if teams plays that way. You produce better technical players.”